50% growth for two years running in Bonhams Fine and Rare Wine Sales

The strategy of Bonhams Fine Wine Department, of having a wide ranging appeal to the whole market, has paid off with an increase of sales of 50% for the second year running. The first Fine and Rare Wine sale of 2012 will be held on the 9th February at Bonhams, New Bond Street.

Whilst the prestigious first growths of Bordeaux have been largely responsible for driving the market up, there has been a significant correction in this area over the last six months. It is therefore very encouraging to be able to produce a wonderfully eclectic range of wines for this sale with the emphasis as much on Burgundy and Italy as Bordeaux.

A fine collection of Italian wines is one of the outstanding features of the sale. There are Amarones from Romano dal Forno and Guiseppe Quintarelli, who sadly died last week, Barolo and Barberesco from Conterno, Gaja, Giacosa, Grasso and Mascarello, Sassicia, Solaia many other super Tuscans; many of these wines are in rare large format bottles.

Burgundy is well represented with a good range of mature wines from the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti as well as a bottle of Henri Jayer's 1976 Echezeaux. There are more youthful examples from Drouhin-Laroze, Chandon de Briailles, Sylvain Cathiard, Claude Dugat, Dujac, Fourrier, Grivot, Hudelot-Noellat, Leflaive and de Montille.

The sale includes nearly 50 lots of vintage champagne and a good range from the Rhone, which is undoubtedly the region of France which offers the greatest value. There is also a fantastic range of top Australian wines from such sources as Penfolds, Kay Brothers, Torbreck and Leeuwin Estate. Additionally there are old Massandra wines from Crimea and Chateau Musar from the Lebanon.

Of course, Bordeaux is not completely ignored, going back to 1938 and the 1945, 1961 and 1982 vintages well represented. Additionally there are ten mature vintages of Chateau d'Yquem, undoubtedly the greatest sweet wine in the world.

It has always been one of our aims to offer wines which will interest a wide spectrum of wine consumers, rather than being guided solely by lot values. To this end we are offering the contents of a Cornish restaurant cellar, almost all in mixed cases.

NOTES FOR EDITORSBonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to www.bonhams.com.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to www.bonhams.com